*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 13????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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I told ya’ll that I won’t be posting on Sundays again, so why are you all fuming
?♂️?♂️?♂️
Zenia’s POV
“Zenia! Zenia, sweetie get in the car.”
“LEAVE ME ALONE EJ!” I yelled as I walked along the sidewalk and he drove along-side me in the street, in his stupid Audi, matching my pace.
How many cars does he own?
“Zenia, you’re being stubborn. I want to talk to you.”
“Well I don’t want to talk to you!”
“Damn it!” I heard him yell and the next thing I knew, I was upside down hanging from his perfect shoulder.
“EJ, put me down!” I protested but it fell on deaf ears. I was placed in the car and he quic-kly fastened my seat belt.
“Is everything alright over here?” a voice asked as EJ got back in the driver’s seat.
“Yes officer.”
“Are you alright ma’am?” he asked me.
He must be thinking EJ was kidnapping me.
“Yes officer, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes she’s sure,” EJ bu-tted in.
He eyed EJ and his face quic-kly bec@m£ friendlier.
“Ah, young Hollen, how are you doing?”
“I’m great, sir.”
“Drive safely.”
“Always.”
I shook my head as they exchanged handshakes before he stepped on the accelerator.
_________________
“Why are you so difficult every time?” he asked me.
He stopped the car at the park with us inside.
I reminded silent.
“Zenia.”
Silence.
“I’m talking to you.”
“Are you certain I’m the one you should be talking to?”
I knew I was being petty, but to hell with that. I was rather upset about him telling Madison about his celebr@tion before me.
“Baby, listen to me. I’m sorry okay. I should have told you earlier but mom planned it at the last minute. Mads only got the invitation because I saw her this morning on my way to work.”
I pouted.
“Zenia, at least look at me.”
My eyes remained straight ahead.
“Zenia.”
Silence.
He turned my chin gently towards him. I was instantly melting into his grey eyes. They screamed sorry.
“EJ, Madison completely blew everything out of proportion. That’s not what happened,” I defended when he had told me exactly what she had said to him.
That snake in the gr@$$.
I explained how everything happened at the boutique earlier this morning, not leaving out a detail.
EJ listened to my every word.
“Just forget it ever happened okay.”
“Okay,” I responded.
“Why were you lashing out at Alex?”
Alex had c@m£ by at around 2:45 pm. Ashley broke into tears again when she saw him but he turned a cold shoulder to her.
“I was only trying to find out why he was becoming distant to Ashley.”
“Oh.”
“Did he say anything to you?”
“Not much.”
I knew he was hiding something from me.
“EJ, what did he said?”
“He just said that Ashley gives in too easily and he can’t see himself in a serious relationship with someone like that.”
“WHAT!!” Something lit inside me.
“I’m just saying what he told me. Alex is very different. He doesn’t settle, I’ve never seen him in a committed relationship and when things are going well, he always sabotage and jumps into the next pair of legs waiting for him.”
“Man-who-re.”
EJ laughed.
“That’s just the way he is and those girls aren’t learning how to just leave him alone. He wouldn’t fall for easy girls and girls he ban-g on the same night when meeting.
It’s kinda of a guy thing. Most guys wouldn’t settle down for an easy chick.”
I felt a pang in my che-st. My heart squee-zed and I fought to hold back the tears.
“Are you okay? I know she’s your best friend and Alex is mine. I wouldn’t like a big wedge between us.”
“EJ, can I ask you something?”
This is it.
This would determine the future for us.
“Sure babe, what’s going on?” He must have seen the tears welling up because he pu-ll-ed me against his ha-rd che-st and planted a k!ss on my forehead.
“Would you fall for someone you had s-x with on the first night you met her?”
He opened his mouth and then shut it. I looked up at him, heart racing, waiting for his answer.
“Ummm, I really don’t know.” He looked de-ep in thoughts.
“To me, I don’t judge a woman like that. The one you sleep with on the first night could very well be a perfect wife while the one who made you wait could be a total slut. Or vice versa.
So I wouldn’t judge. But for the girl on the first night, there would really have to be a strong connection or feeling for her because I would have trust issues, it’s messed up but true.
I would wonder if she’s always that easy to other guys.”
His answer made me sit on the fence of telling him the truth or keeping it away from him until I go to the grave.
Jasmine alre-ady knew. But unlike me, she dare wouldn’t say a word without my permission.
“Hey.” He shook me from my thoughts.
I for-ced a smile.
” I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere. You’re very beautiful and I’m falling for the perfect girl. You’re not like those other girls out there.”
Other girls out there?
Oh EJ.
My heart took a trip to my toes. I felt like a slut.
Was that the word he used?
How would I break something so terrible to tell him?
How do I tell him I sle-pt with him the first night I met him?
How do I tell him I got pregnant?
How do I tell him I lost the baby because I drank myself drunk?
The tears poured down. The haunting feelings c@m£ back. My heart squee-zed ha-rder and ha-rder like if it would explode at any minute.
The feeling I hated and dre-aded so much, c@m£ hitting me all over again.
“Baby, stop crying. Alex and Ashley would patch things up. We’re their friends and we want to see them together. Stop crying.”
He comforted me against his che-st.
I heard my sister’s voice in my head.
You nee-d to tell him Zenia. You nee-d to tell him the truth.
“EJ, there’s something I have to tell you.”
“What’s that?”
Before I could utter another word, his phone rang.
“Hey mom. Yeah. No I’m actually with someone right now. I know that mom. Okay, I’ll there as soon as possible.”
I caught his end of the conversation.
“Babe, can we continue this discussion another time? Mom nee-ds me home.
And you’re officially invited to my p@rty. I’ll s-end someone to get you, be re-ady at 7:00pm.”
I nodded my head yes.
________________
I guess seeing Ashley in a ti-ght fitted dress can make you fall in love.
Her and Alex were dancing awfully close together and looked like eternal lovers as they swayed to the music.
I sat down at a table, having a gl@$$ of water and feeling pathetic. EJ stood at the far end of the yard, next to his father and several other men. Evan was among them.
I kept my eyes peeled for Madison, but she was nowhere to be found.
Snake.
After several minutes, Ashley joined me at the table while Alex went to join EJ.
“You’ve patch things up rather quic-kly,” I tea-sed.
“I can’t stay mad at him. He’s too sweet. He’s like a baby.”
She just had to use that word.
Tears rolled down my face and I quic-kly wiped at it before she caught them.
“Hey, what’s the matter with you?”
Zenia! Zenia!”
She was right next to me but she sounded like she was yelling from a far distance.
“I’m fine,” I lied.
“Oh no you’re not. Do you wanna go somewhere and talk about it?”
I nodded my head yes.
Talking to Jasmine helped me. I could trust Ashley, she was my best friend. I knew some of her secrets and she knew some of mine. I could trust her with this one.
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We headed inside to a downstairs guest be-droom where the music wouldn’t drown out our voices.
I told Ashley everything.
The one night stand.
The pregnancy.
The miscarriage.
And what EJ said about girls who gave it up too easily and quic-kly.
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Madison’s POV
Emma – EJ’s mom- had s-ent me to one of the guest be-drooms to fetch two extra chairs for her.
I opened the door but stopped slightly when I overheard Zenia and her friend talking.
I didn’t want to even see them again but my curiosity got the best of me as to why they were talking inside a quiet room.
My eyes almost popped out of my head when I heard she said she was pregnant with EJ’s child and he wasn’t aware of it since they had a one night stand at a p@rty.
And she had a miscarriage because of a heavy alcohol consumption!
I closed back the door, hid and waited until they were out the room.
You stupid who-re.
Just wait until I twist this to EJ.
He’ll hate you like the devil.
*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 14????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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Ethan Junior’s POV
“Mr. Alexander, we’ll be more than thri-ll to have you as an investor at HT,” I said as I shook hands firmly with Mr. Alexander, Vice President of GBT (Global and Base Technology).
“Thank you,” he said back firmly.
I wasn’t afraid of showing my father and my big brother that I was very much capable of getting investors, sealing deals and handling proposals.
As a Hollen, it was requirement to be br@ve, strong headed and focus.
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As the p@rty slowly whined down, I went to get myself a gl@$$ a water and I stumbled right into Madison.
“Hey EJ,” she began.
I glared at her, remembering that little stunt she pu-ll-ed this morning with Zenia.
“Hey Mads,” I answered her dully while I tried searching the crowd of Zenia.
“I have something I nee-d to tell you. It’s about Zenia.”
My blood instantly c@m£ to a boil. Madison was my childhood best friend and she had been my friend all my life, but I was not about to let her drive a wedge between Zenia and me.
I was strongly developing feelings for Zenia, and we were taking it one step at a time into getting to know each other better.
“Listen Madison, I really don’t care what you have to say. What you did today was just wrong and so unlike you. I know you have feelings for me but I don’t have any for you. You’re my friend. We grew up like brother and sister.
I want you to respect my wishes with Zenia and stop trying to get between us.”
I knew my words were a bit harsh and straight forward. She lowered her head and although it was dark out, I saw the tears running down her cheeks.
Great!
You made her cry!
Mom wouldn’t be happy if she saw her crying at my celebr@tion.
“Mads, I’m sorry,” I quic-kly apologized. I didn’t like seeing women cry and I felt terrible that I caused those tears on her face.
“It’s fine,” she said softly, wiping away her tears. “I just wanted to tell you about something I’ve heard Zenia and her friend talking about a while ago.”
Zenia and Ashley must have said something to offend her again.
I don’t like getting caught in the middle of drama with males, much less females.
“Just don’t worry about it.” I moved p@$$ed her and went to get myself a bottle water from the large cooler.
“EJ, it wasn’t about me, it’s about you,” she said from behind me as she followed.
I knew she wouldn’t let this go until I turn a listening ear to her.
“What is it Madison? What did you hear?”
“Were you aware you’ve gotten Zenia pregnant?”
I almost choked on the water. I began laughing while drying around my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Very funny. We’ve never had s-x before so how’s that even possible?”
“Does the name ‘Zee’ rings any bell in your head?”
I had a flashback instantly.
_______________flashback
Blue’s Halloween p@rty.
Last year November.
Girl dancing on the pole in a Red ri-ding Hood costume.
She almost fell but I caught her just in time. We talked for a bit, then went upstairs when she fell over again.
I was drunk. I’ll never forget when I wrecked my car that same night and mom and dad were so mad at me for drinking while intoxicated.
The girl on the pole was Zee. We had s-x. I remembered I had entered her. I took the con-dom from my pocket and placed it on but maybe I didn’t do it correctly because I had never had s-x before.
Jack and Alex always tea-sed me about it so I made up countless lies about slee-ping with chicks.
Zee was my first and I was shattered after the s-x when she left me in the room alone without a word.
______________End Of Flashback
“Yeah it does ring a bell, but I don’t want to talk about it.”
I never got over that feeling because I never forget when, where and how I lost my vir-ginity although I had so much to drink that night.
I hated Zee for leaving.
“EJ,” Madison shook my thoughts away. She ru-bbe-d her hand on my shoulder.
“What is it?” I asked angrily this time, I pushed her hand away from me.
“Zenia Blackman is Zee.”
“WHAT?” The bottle of water dropped from my hand. My br@in stopped. My heart stopped.
“I’m not lying to you EJ. I heard her telling her friend about your encounter at a Halloween p@rty last November.”
Oh God No.
plea-se No.
No! No! No!
Madison can’t be lying. I never told her about the p@rty and I didn’t tell anyone about Zee.
The only way she’ll know about this, is if she heard it from Zee herself.
“EJ as I said, I’m not lying to you. Zenia is Zee.”
Zee for Zenia.
Of course.
“And she was pregnant with your baby.”
My head was spinning.
Zenia was pregnant?
“Zenia got pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“Did you heard what happened to the baby?”
“She had an ab-ortion.”
My eyes flared and all I saw was red. I scanned the crowd for her again but she was nowhere in sight.
“EJ, I’m so sorry. I know it wasn’t my place to tell you but it seemed like she had zero intention of telling you herself.
I just want you know that I’ll always be here for you and I’ll always have your back and be your friend.”
I heaved a sigh and raked my fin-gers throu-gh my hair.
I walked p@$$ed Madison when I sp©tted Jasmine holding a crying Jevan in her arms.
“Hey Jasmine.”
“EJ. What’s up?”
“Where’s your sister?”
“I just saw her went around the back with Ashley. Is everything okay?”
I looked at Jevan crying in her arms. I took him from her arms and slowly rocked him in mine.
What would it have been like to have my own baby?
He stopped crying a short moment after and fell asleep in my arms. I handed him back to her.
“Thank you EJ.”
I went to the back of the mansion and sp©tted Zenia and Ashley talking by the swimming pool.
“Zenia, can I talk to you?”
She froze.
“Right Now!” I semi shouted.
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Zenia’s POV
“Go on,” Ashley said and gave me a small push towards EJ.
From a distance, his eyes looked dark and clouded and I was afraid of looking into them.
“Hey.” I was shaking.
Why is he angry?
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” he asked, studying my face and not shifting his eyes from mine.
“I…. No.”
Why am I lying ?
I looked into his eyes and they went darker and darker.
“plea-se tell me why the hell you’re lying to me Zee?”
Zee?
Did he just called me Zee?
OMFG!! He knows!!
I wanted the ground to swallow me up at this very moment or an alien abduction.
Anything to get away from those murderous eyes in front of me.
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“EJ, I nee-d to tell you something.” There was no s-ense in keeping it a secret now.
“You know what? I really don’t want to hear anything from you right now. I alre-ady know the truth and it’s so fv¢ked up that I had to hear it from Madison than the woman I’ve been falling for.”
“EJ,” I croaked. Tears alre-ady in my eyes and a terrible pain on my che-st.
I attem-pted to throw myself in his arms.
hu-gging me was his favorite thing to do.
But instead, he moved away. He turned away and left me staring at his back but not before saying, “I can’t believe I was falling for a murderer.”
TO BE CONTINUED…….